JN boss promises strong Sunshine Girls for Commonwealth

Karen Rosen-Baugh, president of Netball Jamaica, says the association will be assembling a strong Sunshine Girls squad for this year’s Commonwealth Games as they target a historic gold medal.

The Sunshine Girls are coming off a silver medal-winning performance at the last staging of the Games in Birmingham four years ago. However, they will enter this year’s tournament in Glasgow on the back of consecutive series defeats to England and Australia.

The Sasher-Gay Henry-coached team was without several key players during those series, including captain Jhaniele Fowler, who recently gave birth, along with Shamera Sterling, Jodi-Ann Ward, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Latanya Wilson, and Shimona Nelson.

Rosen-Baugh noted that while they expect to have most of their overseas-based players available, final squad decisions will depend on fitness and readiness.

“We are expecting to have many or most of our overseas-based players available for us. They are currently engaged in their club leagues in Australia and England now, but the coach is working with a long squad list of players that are also resident here and overseas," said Rosen-Baugh. 

"The key to our preparations is that we will bring the players together for a camp when the club leagues end," she said.

"The Australian club final doesn't happen until July 5, which is pretty close to the Commonwealth Games time. So we are planning for a camp, and we are fundraising for a camp in the UK (United Kingdom), both for acclimatisation for the coach to have the players who are based in different parts of the world come together in a final camp before the Games. And we are expecting to have most of the overseas players available to us at that time,” said the NJ boss. 

Rosen-Baugh pointed out that the participation of Fowler will be determined closer to the tournament.

“Bear in mind that Fowler just gave birth a few weeks ago, so that is a conversation between she and the coach; and so she will have to make that decision to determine if she is ready to come back. And I don't want to make an announcement about Fowler, but I am sure if she is able to return then I know that she will," she said.  

"We are taking this championship very seriously. I want to emphasise the importance of camp because we are funded by the Jamaica Olympic Association for the Commonwealth Games, but we need to raise funds for the camp.”

Rosen-Baugh pointed out that the Sunshine Girls’ preparations are also being aligned with longer-term goals, including the 2027 Netball World Cup in Australia.

“We also have our minds set on our preparations for the 2027 Netball World Cup, which is in Australia, and again, we have to manage our players leading up to the World Cup," she said. 

"It is always tough when you go into battle with the top teams in the world, but we are going there to do the best that we can. We have a similar core of players like we did the last time, so it is up to the coach to ensure that everybody is gelling and peaking at the right time.”